FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte was reportedly not in favor of selling his house in Davao City, which he considers the first property he ever bought, his son Rep. Paolo “Polong” Duterte revealed.
In an interview, the Davao City lawmaker shared that he recently visited his father at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands, and asked him about the reported sale.
“Eh ‘yung bahay mo, Pa? Puwede ba ‘yon ibenta ni Honeylet?” Paolo recalled asking.
“Sagot niya: ‘Ha? Bakit ibenta ‘yon eh ‘yon ang una kong binili na bahay? Meron namang iba pang bahay si Honeylet. Mas malaki ‘yon’,” he added, quoting the former president.
Paolo admitted, however, that there’s little they could do since the title of the property is under the name of Honeylet Avanceña, Duterte’s common-law wife.
He also said their mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman, had assured them that should their father be released from ICC custody, he could stay with any of their children.
“Kung nabenta na? Wala naman kami magawa na. Sabi ng mama ko kapag nakalabas na ang papa ko, puhon kung makalabas siya, kung wala siyang mauuwian, sa bahay na namin siya titira,” Paolo said.
It was Avanceña who confirmed on June 28 that the Duterte home was being sold, saying she was the only one frequently visiting the property.
“Masakit sa dibdib ko every time I go inside. Ako na lang ang pumapasok diyan. May apat na katulong pero walang amo,” she said.
The next day, however, observers noted that the tarpaulin and contact details for interested buyers had already been taken down.
